


Wandering for Soulstones

by Arasia_Valentia



Series: An Ascian and His Hero [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Banter, Blink And You Miss It Slash, Minor Angst, Other, Ryne is Wholesome, this time turn 97 degrees to the left
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-17
Updated: 2019-07-17
Packaged: 2020-06-30 08:26:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19849348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arasia_Valentia/pseuds/Arasia_Valentia
Summary: After no luck finding the soul stone of the fallen, a certain Ascian shows up.





	Wandering for Soulstones

**Author's Note:**

> 2nd encounter with bae.

Bright, terrible light rains down from the heavens, particles falling down to glance off the swell of your cheeks, covering the land in a sparkling glow. In a way, it is beautiful, ever shimmering, ever gleaming, slithering through the sky like a giant snake of never ending sun. The trees obscure most of your vision of it however, tall and gnarled, arms of wood reaching towards the heavens. Rak’Tika. You make your way through the snaggly undergrowth, the farther you trek, the more hopeless you become. For hours now, you have searched for the heartstone of the fallen, the green gem evading you at every turn. Minfilia was having just as much trouble as you, and said she would go far to the west, to check if some animal had taken it to the swamps. She still hasn’t returned, and you’ve had no luck. You slump against a tree, sliding to the ground, head bowed between your legs.

“Blasted stone,” you say to yourself. You almost feel responsible for this person's death. You’ve not been nearly fast enough to cure this world if it’s never ending light. You sigh dejectedly. You may have to return empty handed. And then, a sparkling emerald appears between your legs, a gloved hand clutching it delicately. You gasp in surprise, head shooting up to find the source of the hand. 

Emet-Selch crouches before you, head cocked to the side like a bird. You stand and stare at him, eyes flicking to the stone in his hand. He follows suit, holding the gemstone up to the sky. “Such a pretty thing I’ve found while...wandering, through the forest.”

“Wandering..” you say in disbelief.

“Oh yes, to search for such a thing would be… beneath me. But if it just happened to cross my path.” He shrugs.

So, the Ascian sought out the stone. You reach for it, but he pulls it away with a rapid click of his tongue. “Tsk, Tsk, we cannot be rewarded with things we did not earn hero. Come, entertain me. These trees have grown dull.” 

“Truly?” 

“I do not lie hero. Tell me a story.” He plops down on the ground right there, looking expectantly up at you. Beggars can’t be choosers; you sit down across from him. So you regale him with tales from your past. About the moogles of the Twelveswood, and their ridiculous song. About the first primal you ever killed, and your time in Ishgard. The man watches you speak, almost enraptured with your words. You detail much of your past to him. You fall silent after a while, reaching the point in your tale about Haurchefant. The Ascian before you looks at you inquisitively, watching your crestfallen face when a small voice rings out. 

“Oh! You’ve found the soul stone!” Minfilia exclaims. 

You get to your feet and watch the girl run over to you eagerly. Emet-Selch gives a dramatic bow when she arrives, placing the green gem in her palm. Minfilia doesn’t really know what to say to that, so the small thank you that is whispered from her lips would have to do.

The man rights himself before looking at the sky. “Oh dear,” he drawls, “would you look at the time. I really must be going.” 

You shoot him a raised eyebrow, since the sky never changes and he simply shrugs will a sly smile. 

“I will see you again, hero. Until then!”

A dark portal opens and he steps through. But you feel his eyes watching you as you return to slitherbough, and well into the night. Even as you turn in for bed, are you aware he is watching, and with a smirk you say, “Goodnight, Emet-Selch.” The feeling of being watched vanishes. You shake your head, and go to sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> This is a way better way to complete than quest than listening to guitar riffs while running for your life.


End file.
